Dutch KSA Institutes Stricter Gambling Licensing Rules from 2026

For many years, online gambling in the Netherlands operated in a regulatory grey area, with international casinos targeting Dutch players without any official oversight. That changed with the approval of the Remote Gambling Act in 2019, which came into effect on October 1st, 2021.

Holland’s gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), mandates that every operator offering games of chance to Dutch players be licensed in order to protect players, ensure responsible gambling and eliminate unregulated operators from the market.

In September 2021, the regulator granted the first ten licenses for legal online gambling, ensuring Dutch players could log into licensed casinos and betting platforms with full consumer protection and legal clarity. 

 Stricter Licensing Requirements

The KSA has announced strict new licensing requirements for remote gambling, which will come into effect on 1 January 2026, and coincides with the upcoming expiration of its first batch of 5-year licenses issued in September 2021, which are due to lapse in October 2026.

The updated rules will impose stricter obligations on operators, with those applying for licenses now required to submit documentation describing their plans to keep the regulator informed of any major changes in company policy or operations.

They are also required to submit an ‘exit plan’ describing their strategy for discontinuing gambling services in the event of their licenses not being renewed.

 Renewal Procedure for Current Licence Holders

Existing licence holders are required to follow a separate, yet rigorous renewal procedure, which includes a comprehensive reassessment of player protection protocols, exacting advertising and marketing strategies and a new integration test for the control database (CBD).

Operators will also need to explain any compliance-related transgressions over the past five years and demonstrate remedial actions to prevent repetition. Should these explanations be deemed unsatisfactory, the regulator may impose additional conditions or deny licence renewal entirely.

The KSA also clarified its stance on operators who fail to comply with enforceable court rulings; they would be considered unreliable and risk rejection. In addition, all applicants must also conduct and submit a risk assessment in accordance with the AML and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (WWFT). 

 Will Political Change Bring Even Tighter Regulation?

The changes announced mark the most significant update to Dutch gambling regulations since the market's legalisation in 2021 and underscore the regulator’s determination to enforce tighter control as the industry enters its second licensing cycle. 

Following on the heels of an expansion of the prohibition on ‘untargeted’ advertising introduced in 2023, a blanket ban on sports sponsorships in July and the tax burden for operators set to surge to 37.8% in 2026, many would argue that these tough new licensing conditions are excessive.

However, with the Dutch government’s recent collapse and an upcoming election scheduled for October, the future direction of gambling regulation, with all the major political parties pushing for tighter compliance and further restrictions, could mean that things get tougher still for operators.